Singing harmony in a band?

[Strat Kid]

How to? I've always understood you sing different notes, but if you have lots of people, who sings what?

P.S: Talking about 80s rock style stuff. Green Tinted Sixties Mind, Addicted To That Rush, etc.

[Tingly]

I am no great vocalist but I have experience from bands, and glee clubs.

Usually, you need to sing a rhythmic 'harmony' in the background.

'Depends on the song as to the form. As you know, some times they are like 'shoop shoop' and sometimes it's a melodic 'ahhhhhhh,' even in the 80's.

Fine. Now, what notes?

Again, 'depends. If you are covering a tune, sometimes you go with the lyrics, and sometimes you go counter to them.

The vocal harmonies are often built 'on thirds,' the way chords are, because you are forming chords as you combine the vocals and instruments. But you can stack 'em any way you want. The chord vocals produced can be very rich, as in CSN&Y. Really good singers I worked with could hear the note they 'needed' in their head before singing it, no matter what anyone else was playing or singing.

Two part harmonies are common, but one can do 'three part' or 'four part,' depending on talent available. The guy who sings well down low will take the 'bass line.' Usually lead singers are tenors. Baritones are in between and make good background guys, too. The ladies usually sing up high, alto and soprano.

The HARD THING, for me, is always learning my harmonic part really well so that it's automatic (especially when I am playing guitar, too).

You have to be able to hear yourself, and sing your section, without the other singers, or melody, or anything else, throwing you off.

[Furious Lopez]

Barbershop is a good way to practice.

[gtrhrcane]

I'm horrible at harmonizing vocally in a band, ick.

[jimiv]

Tingly's right, especially about the "automatic" part. Nothing worse than when you're part comes up and you're pitch is off on the first note. Yikes, makes you want to find a rock to hide under.

We normally find 3rds and 5ths above or below the root note when harmonizing on choruses.

To get "automatic" I record the parts, burn it on a CD and then sing to it while driving in to work and going home until I hit it everytime. Works really well especially on the hard ones. One part that was especially hard for me was the chorus on Long Train Running (Doobie Brothers). It comes early in the song and I was always angsting about that High note you have to hit right at the beginning of the chorus. Solved that with the practice CD. Have never missed that note since.

JV

[shredd]

The best way to understand harmony is to listen to the simple stuff; a nice lead vox with a 3rd up harmony is easy to hear and understand (and do yourself). Listening to CSNY, Journey, et al is like picking up your first guitar and trying to play Dream Theater songs.

[aybase]

it come naturally to me in my band. i do most of the harmonizing, and i think some of it comes from being the guitar player and 'hearing' the other notes in the chords, and following the melody. definately listen to all sorts of stuff that uses harmony heavily, and sing along with the harmony lines till you get a feel for it. practice makes perfect.

[lufc71]

Originally Posted by shredd

The best way to understand harmony is to listen to the simple stuff; a nice lead vox with a 3rd up harmony is easy to hear and understand (and do yourself). Listening to CSNY, Journey, et al is like picking up your first guitar and trying to play Dream Theater songs.

+1

[Terry Guitar]

Get a couple of Beatle albums, especially Rubber Soul and Revolver. Often you will hear only two vocals, and you can work at singing the "not the melody" part. At least you will be able to get your head around the concept. The more primitive recording technology of that era meant that there was a lot less "manipulation" of the sound.

If you want to PM me I can offer a few other suggestions...